Hagg Leys Farm

Author: stephen (Page 4 of 61)

Vegetable patch

July 26, 2015 /

Last year we cleared out some land to the side of the house to use as a vegetable patch.  It was hard work – the top soil was thin and full of large stones.  We had a go at clearing it and topped up the top soil from a left over pile of soil in the top field.  We had some success with it (the onions were very good, the cabbages were a disaster), but it was a really pain to keep on top of the weeds.

With the wall along the top field now being clear, we thought we might put some raised beds along this wall.  However, we thought it might be worth giving our original vegetable patch one last go.  This stretch of field is also under the trees that seem to stuck the water out of the ground – while they do provide some shelter, they take most of the water.  We had planted some onions in the original vegetable patch earlier the season, but then lost heart as the weeds took over.

We have been at home for the last week and decided to clear the vegetable patch up.  We had used a JCB earlier in the year to dig it over when we had a machine on site to fill in the ruts, so much of the soil was quite loose.  It still took Jo a lot of effort this week, but it does look good.

Jo has been digging over the vegetable plot over the last couple of days. Much of it had been turned over previously with a digger, but some of it had never been dug before.

Jo has been digging over the vegetable plot over the last couple of days. Much of it had been turned over previously with a digger, but some of it had never been dug before.

This is the view from the other end and it is a big plot - 3m x 15m. The potatoes that you can see in the middle distance were left over from last year - we have dug up some of the other left over plants and the potatoes are surprisingly ok.

This is the view from the other end and it is a big plot – 3m x 15m. The potatoes that you can see in the middle distance were left over from last year – we have dug up some of the other left over plants and the potatoes are surprisingly ok.

All Jo's efforts this week have made a huge difference to the vegetable patch. We have had 2 or 3 dumper fulls of stone out of here in the last few days, not to mention the undergrowth and weeds.

All Jo’s efforts this week have made a huge difference to the vegetable patch. We have had 2 or 3 dumper fulls of stone out of here in the last few days, not to mention the undergrowth and weeds.

We managed to purchase some cheap patio slabs from a local supplier and have used these to make pathways between the beds. If we decide to reconfigure the beds the slabs can be picked up and moved. We aren't quite sure what to do with the one end of the patch so we have covered it with geotextile to keep the weeds down.

We managed to purchase some cheap patio slabs from a local supplier and have used these to make pathways between the beds. If we decide to reconfigure the beds the slabs can be picked up and moved. We aren’t quite sure what to do with the one end of the patch so we have covered it with geotextile to keep the weeds down.

Odd jobs – 3

July 23, 2015 /

We put the last of the concrete floors in to the outbuilding earlier in the month.  We will use this middle shed as a workshop and have decided to dry line and plaster this shed.  This will make it a little more free from dirt.  Hopefully, we will get this plastered in the next couple of weeks.  When we think about the amount of money been spent on these outbuildings, we might have been better off knocking them down and starting again.  The upside is that the outbuildings which have probably been here 200-300 years have a new lease of life.

We have put down a concrete base in the middle shed in the outbuilding, now all three sheds have proper concrete floors. This means that the outbuilding is now a lot dryer than it has been in the past. We have decided to get this shed drylined and plastered. This should make this shed a bit more dirt free (this area had been used previously as a coal hole!).

We have put down a concrete base in the middle shed in the outbuilding, now all three sheds have proper concrete floors. This means that the outbuilding is now a lot dryer than it has been in the past. We have decided to get this shed drylined and plastered. This should make this shed a bit more dirt free (this area had been used previously as a coal hole!).

In advance of the middle shed being plastered, we have put in a new door frame so that the dry lining can be fitted up to the frame. For now, we have put the old door back on (with new hinges and trimmed to make it a little more square).

In advance of the middle shed being plastered, we have put in a new door frame so that the dry lining can be fitted up to the frame. For now, we have put the old door back on (with new hinges and trimmed to make it a little more square).

Odd jobs – 2

July 23, 2015 /

We rebuilt the dry stone wall in the bottom field a few weeks ago, but now that we have a dumper we can sort out the coping stones.  The coping stones have been reclaimed from the huge pile of stone that was left over from demolishing the old barn.

We built this wall in the bottom field a few weeks ago, but waited until we had our new dumper before putting the coping stones on. Much of the coping stones came from the huge pile of stone that we had left over from demolishing the barn.

We built this wall in the bottom field a few weeks ago, but waited until we had our new dumper before putting the coping stones on. Much of the coping stones came from the huge pile of stone that we had left over from demolishing the barn.

We used a line to get the top of the wall straight and level. It is amazing how this simple approach produces a very straight line. The wall is made up of all sorts of different stone (and the occasionally brick!) from around the property. If nothing else, the wall is a good way of getting rid of a lot of the surplus stone.

We used a line to get the top of the wall straight and level. It is amazing how this simple approach produces a very straight line. The wall is made up of all sorts of different stone (and the occasionally brick!) from around the property. If nothing else, the wall is a good way of getting rid of a lot of the surplus stone.

Odd jobs

July 23, 2015 /

Over the past couple of months, we have been doing odd jobs around the place.  We concentrated on getting the work done rather than keeping the blog up to date, so here’s a quick round up……

We finished the dry stone wall along the orchard and top field last month and had quite a bit of stone left over.  With the arrival of our new dumper (well, new to us), we were in a position to move the stone out of the way into the bottom field.  This means that in time we should be able to mow the grass up to the new wall.  All in all, it took about a dozen trips in the dumper.

There was a lot of odd (and orrible) stone left over when building the dry stone wall - rounded lumps of stuff that weren't of any use in a wall. All of this has now been moved and the grass is starting to grow over the bare batches. If we had had a bit more rain, I think this would look a lot better, but time will tell.

There was a lot of odd (and orrible) stone left over when building the dry stone wall – rounded lumps of stuff that weren’t of any use in a wall. All of this has now been moved and the grass is starting to grow over the bare batches. If we had had a bit more rain, I think this would look a lot better, but time will tell.

We have a bit of land in the bottom field under the trees where we have been dumping the left over stone from the top field. There must have been a dozen or so dumper worths here.

We have a bit of land in the bottom field under the trees where we have been dumping the left over stone from the top field. There must have been a dozen or so dumper worths here.

 

Some of this stone will be used for building a new wall here, but some of it is just junk. Unfortunately, the incinerator got a bit too close to the dumper. Ho hum.

Some of this stone will be used for building a new wall here, but some of it is just junk. Unfortunately, the incinerator got a bit too close to the dumper. Ho hum.

 

Inside the wasp nest

July 22, 2015 /

Now the pesticide has had an effect, we can dig out the wasp nest.  Although the entrance was only very small (no bigger than a 50p piece), the nest was bigger than we were expecting.

Wasp nest

Now the pesticide has had an effect, Jo was feeling brave enough to have a go at digging out the nest. It seems to have at least three different levels inside. But nothing alive anymore.

Wasp nest in the vegetable patch

July 21, 2015 /

Last year, we had a couple of wasp nests – one in the orchard and another in the bottom field.  We were lucky.  A very nice badger came along and dug both of them up and then ate the lavae.  This year we have a wasp nest in the vegetable patch.  Given that the have a couple of months to go before they reach the end of the season, we decided that we had to get rid of it.  Otherwise, someone (me, Jo or the dog) are going to get stung.  Jo got stung last year and she isn’t that keen to be stung again.

Given that it is a vegetable patch we weren’t that keen on using pesticides here, however, we are assured that the chemicals breakdown as soon as they are exposed to sunlight.  Even so, I don’t think that we will be planting anything at this end of the vegetable patch this year.

Jo's idea was to whack the wasp's nest with a mattock and then run as fast as you can! I think the only thing that this approach would guarantee would be some pissed off wasps. Alternatively, you can get someone suitably attired to spray them with chemicals. I'll vote for the man with the can!

Jo’s idea was to whack the wasp’s nest with a mattock and then run as fast as you can! I think the only thing that this approach would guarantee would be some pissed off wasps. Alternatively, you can get someone suitably attired to spray them with chemicals. I’ll vote for the man with the can!

Not quite sure what is going on here, but it looks like the insecticide might being having an effect!

Not quite sure what is going on here, but it looks like the insecticide might being having an effect!

Dumper fixed (for the time being)

July 3, 2015 /

Turned out the poor performance didn’t have anything to do with the engine – the right hand front brake was seized on!  Good job I didn’t go to the hassle of changing the diesel injector!

The brakes have now been sorted together with new oil, new oil filter, air filter and fuel filter. I am proud to say that I managed to do it all myself.  It seems to run a bit better although I do wonder if it was worth all that effort.

Despite its age, parts are readily available and I even managed to find a maintenance manual online.

We fixed the ceased brakes and then change the oil, oil filter, air filter and fuel filter. It seems to run (and stop) a little better than when we first bought it.

We fixed the ceased brakes and then change the oil, oil filter, air filter and fuel filter. It seems to run (and stop) a little better than when we first bought it.

These are pretty easy machines to work and designed to be repaired in the field (pardon the pun!).

These are pretty easy machines to work and designed to be repaired in the field (pardon the pun!).

New dumper (well, not exactly)

June 28, 2015 /

This is a 1976 15cwt Thwaites dumper.  Just in case anyone is interested, it is powered by a single cylinder Petter PH1 diesel engine.  We had quite a few problems getting it started, but finally succeeded by bump starting pushing it down a hill.  We did manage to start it after this using the crank.  We half filled it with stones before it finally conked out going up a slope in the bottom field.  Now, it will not restart.

I am guessing that it is a problem with the fuel lines – the engine turns over and has no electrics, so it can’t be much else other than a lack of fuel.  The tank is half full so I suspect that driving it up a slope caused dirt to get into the system somehow.  This would also explain the lack of power when we started her up.  Looks like the next job is to strip the fuel side of the engine and give it a quick clean.  I will take the injectors off first, and crank the engine, to see if it is delivering any fuel.

Ho hum.

You are not going to win any races in one of these. In fact, you are not going to make any progress in one of these if there is the slightest incline. Admittedly, it does go downhill a lot faster than uphill, however, I put this down to the almost not existent brakes.

You are not going to win any races in one of these. In fact, you are not going to make any progress in one of these if there is the slightest incline. Admittedly, it does go downhill a lot faster than uphill, however, I put this down to the almost not existent brakes.

For some reason, it doesn't quite capture the feeling of driving one of these! Maybe, it is the lack of the phut-phut-phut of a single cylinder diesel engine. The seat seems to be a replacement - the current one is a wooden seat from a child's swing!

For some reason, it doesn’t quite capture the feeling of driving one of these! Maybe, it is the lack of the phut-phut-phut of a single cylinder diesel engine. The seat seems to be a replacement – the current one is a wooden seat from a child’s swing!

Going up this slope was the final straw and we haven't been able to start it since. It sounded like it slowly ran out of fuel despite the fuel tank being half full. My guess is that there is dirt in the fuel system - there are any electrics and the engine still cranks over - so it can't be much else. We'll see.

Going up this slope was the final straw and we haven’t been able to start it since. It sounded like it slowly ran out of fuel despite the fuel tank being half full. My guess is that there is dirt in the fuel system – there are any electrics and the engine still cranks over – so it can’t be much else. We’ll see.

Finishing the wall in the bottom field

June 13, 2015 /

We managed to get half a day today once the rain stopped to finish off the wall in the bottom field.  We started on the wall on the right hand side of the gate a couple of weeks ago.  There wasn’t a wall here previously, just a gate post.  We have used all sorts of odd stone from around the property to build up this wall.  In fact, it has been a good way of getting rid of quite a lot of stone.  Once it all weathers in, it will look as if it has been there forever.

The rain stopped this afternoon and this gave us enough time to finish off the wall that we started on a couple of weeks ago. We just need to find some coping stones now.

The rain stopped this afternoon and this gave us enough time to finish off the wall that we started on a couple of weeks ago. We just need to find some coping stones now.

Wall in the bottom field

We used a line to get the top of the wall straight and level. It is amazing how this simple approach produces a very straight line. The wall is made up of all sorts of different stone (and the occasionally brick!) from around the property. If nothing else, the wall is a good way of getting rid of a lot of the surplus stone.

We used a line to get the top of the wall straight and level. It is amazing how this simple approach produces a very straight line. The wall is made up of all sorts of different stone (and the occasionally brick!) from around the property. If nothing else, the wall is a good way of getting rid of a lot of the surplus stone.

Connecting the orchard and the top field

June 8, 2015 /

There is a dry stone wall between the orchard and the top field.  There has been a gap in it for a while – where we didn’t quite join the new dry stone wall to the orchard wall.  We have decided to close this gap and make a proper one a little further along the wall.  The ground level in the top field and the orchard is slightly different, so there will be a step down into the orchard.  Fortunately, we had a piece of ashlar left over from the renovation.  No one can remember why it was ordered, but it seems to fit here a treat.

Hole in the wall

The step is level - honest. We used a spirit level on it. There are a couple of flagstones at the back to increase the width of the step. You can see that we have started to build up the left handside. We have overlapped the wall onto the step to make it all a little more robust.

The step is level – honest. We used a spirit level on it. There are a couple of flagstones at the back to increase the width of the step. You can see that we have started to build up the left handside. We have overlapped the wall onto the step to make it all a little more robust.

The left hand side has now been built up. Like the walls themselves, the end leans back as it is a more stable structure.

The left hand side has now been built up. Like the walls themselves, the end leans back as it is a more stable structure.

We used some big stones out of the old barn directly on top of the step.

We used some big stones out of the old barn directly on top of the step.

Both sides of the new opening have been built up. The next job was to make sure that the top of the wall was level - both sides of the opening - before putting the coping stones on.

Both sides of the new opening have been built up. The next job was to make sure that the top of the wall was level – both sides of the opening – before putting the coping stones on.

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